We were on our first ever mega-trip to West Virginia. We popped into the state museum for West Virginia and was so very impressed. It was the best museum we had ever traveled to, at the time, and above all, it was entirely free.
I left wishing that all the states had their own museum.
My wish came true when I discovered that New York State had its very own museum.
Located in Albany, in the centre of so many other attractions, is New York State Museum. It has free admission, which I will never complain about, and has a wide and varied range on the state of New York. Prehistoric times, Indian artifacts, geological samples, and all the way to 9/11 memorial.
We would spend a couple of hours slowly perusing the artifacts learning on the various histories of this large state. Each themed area is arranged differently than what we have experienced at other museums. At other places, a new area was in a new room, but New York State Museum is more of a large, open-spaced arrangement. We found ourselves wandering in-between the various areas. I understood this arrangement because to know the history of New York, one needs to see the entire picture.
A few days earlier, we had visited the World Trade Centre and the 9/11 Memorial site in New York City and was shocked at the scope of the disaster the attack was unleashed on America. I remember that event vividly to this day and seeing some of the artifacts, really had an effect on me. At New York State Museum, there were more to see about this senseless act of violence. It was the one spot that so many people spent more time in than any other section.
- Featured Map shows many other amazing places, including many free attractions to visit.
- The official website of New York State Museum.
- A popular location, but there is ample space so it rarely feels crowded.
- Located near the State Capitol which has free tours. It is a short distance away.
- Also nearby is Erastus Corning II Tower which provides a bird’s eye view of the city.
